Six Nations 2013: Tom Croft back in England reckoning after 'remarkable' recovery from neck injury

When Tom Croft takes to the training pitch with England on Wednesday he will
do so with a metal plate, four screws and other props in his neck to hold
together the C6 vertebrae he fractured in three places last year. He was
told by his specialist that he had come as close as it was possible to come
to being paralysed.

Back in action: Tom Croft has come back from serious neck injury bigger and strongerPhoto: GETTY

The blindside flanker has played only five games since returning from the injury that almost ended his career, yet such has been his form that he received an England call-up on Monday and will find out on Wednesday whether he has done enough to make the cut for Sunday’s RBS Six Nations match against Italyat Twickenham. Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill believes his recovery is “nothing short of remarkable”.

The 27-year-old was put through his paces in Tuesday’s double session to see if he could cope with the rigours of Test match conditions, as well as get up to speed with the calls and patterns. Cockerill is unstinting in his praise and believes that Croft is better able to withstand the physicality of the international game than he was prior to the injury that occurred last April.

“Tom has put on three or four kilos and that extra bulk will give him more confidence to get stuck in,” said Cockerill of a player who has been criticised in the past for not getting involved enough in the close-quarters action.

“His confidence will come from knowing he’s done all his neck work in the gym, all his shoulder work, all his extra bits that will make him more robust and give him the confidence to go into those places that once he wasn’t as comfortable going.

“Confidence is so important at Test level. If players feel well prepared they will perform, will feel as if they can take on all-comers. If they feel like that, well it’s more than half the battle. Given the nature of his injury, the long lay-off and just how few games he has played since coming back, Tom’s form is nothing short of remarkable.”

Croft damaged his neck when getting his head trapped awkwardly in making a tackle on Harlequins’ No 8, Nick Easter in a Premiership match last spring. The rehabilitation process has been lengthy with Croft having to contend with setbacks at various junctures. He feared the worst at certain stages, wondering if he would ever get back and even latterly worrying if his neck would be strong enough.

Those initial concerns have eased. Croft himself is desperate to show that he has returned as an even more impressive specimen. Certainly he appears to be fully steeled and fit for purpose. He has not shirked physical contact at England training.

“The best thing about it is that Tom feels right in his head and is not holding back in the sessions,” revealed backs coach Andy Farrell on Tuesday. “He is ready to go.”

His team-mates have been taken by his energy and enthusiasm. Fellow Leicester player, prop Dan Cole, paid tribute to his perseverance and upbeat outlook.

“He has never sulked, always just got on with things even though he’s had a serious operation and has been in a neck brace,” said Cole. “It’s the mental side of things that strikes you. You don’t want to be messing with your neck, do you? Yet he’s turned a negative into a positive, come back bigger and stronger and probably better than he was. Tom’s attitude has been first class.”

Cockerill believes the potentially catastrophic nature of the injury had a sobering and salutary effect on Croft, making him aware of the natural mortality that haunts any sportsman.

“The injury has made him take stock,” said Cockerill. “Tom never needed to worry about much, and certainly not about weight. Well, putting on weight. He could eat what he wanted and never put on a thing. In fact, he did need to put on weight but ignored that side of things. Tom is very professional, very well behaved but was not as diligent as he needed to be with the gym work, the neck and strength work, all the little extras. He is now. He could get away with it before. Not these days. He’s done it and he’s the better for it.”

Leicester deserve great credit for the sympathetic handling of Croft, reassuring him that he would be looked after no matter how long it took. And when the time was right, he would be picked. His first game was against Worcester in early January. He has taken part in five matches for a total playing time of less than five hours. Cockerill insists that Croft’s time has come.

“I think he’s ready to go,” said Cockerill. “His aerial ability, his line-out ability, his pace are probably things England haven’t got in that back five. Tom is a good option. He’s certainly got a good 50 minutes in him at Test level.”